When I have leaders meetings, I like to discuss some, teach some and play all or a portion of a killer leadership video. My pick tonight was T.D. Jakes at the 2004 Willow Creek Leadership Summit. Below are the notes I typed up for my leaders beforehand. There are some nuggets in there that are priceless, that truly change my life. The line-up for my next leaders meeting is Tim Sanders at the Catalyst conference when he taught on an abundance vs. scarcity mindset. I wish I could remember the year. That might help in locating it.
In the society that we live in today, excitement is infectious and contagious and we are never going to be able to draw the people that God would have us draw if we look bored, defeated and sorry to be in the house of God.
T.D. Jakes, “My leadership book is the Bible. I believe it’s the best leadership book in the world.”
The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands." Exodus 17:5-9
Every leader must have a personal encounter with God. You cannot take people where you have not been.
We miss who we can be by emulating other people. Are you going to be an original or a cheap copy of a great original?
You have to have a personal encounter of God – develop your own flavor, your own style of delivery and be comfortable in your own skin.
Are you willing to take the risk to be different? Nobody is attracted to ordinary and average. And if you are willing to be different, I want to warn you leaders are always controversial. Followers fit in. Leaders are controversial. Don’t be different for the sake of being different. The goal is to function independently of what others think or say about you to the point that you earn the right to be a leader…and to be comfortable in your own skin enough to know that you have seen something face to face with God that is important enough that you do not allow face to face with people to intimidate what God has placed inside of you.
Moses is fully persuaded of the power of God being with him and on his side. You need to be fully persuaded that what God gave you works. You have to have confidence in your own giftings. You have to know that God has given you what it takes to accomplish what he has sent you to do. Until you have confidence in your own giftings, you’re not ready to face Pharaoh. Do not despise the day of small beginnings. Sometimes God puts you in a small setting so you can practice your gifts. Bloom where you are planted and learn what you’re supposed to learn in the season that you’re in.
When block layers go to build a wall, they don’t set out to build a wall, but lay a course. Whether you are to lay one course or ten courses, you only can do it one course at a time.
If your leadership style doesn’t change as God sends more people into your congregation you will asphyxiate the growth of your church. You will stop it. It will be your fault.
When God got ready to change Israel, he didn’t talk to a nation, he talked to one person. The change begins with you in ever leadership situation. Until you assume the responsibility that God sent you into that situation to change it rather than to complain about it, you don’t earn the right to be a leader. Leaders don’t whimper, they don’t cry, they don’t complain…leaders make changes. Develop a list of the top ten changes that you are going to do in your area of ministry.
Three different moves that Moses makes in the exodus text
1. Moses starts out with the people in the trenches.
It’s where you inspire with your influence using a hands-on style of leadership – a family style of pasturing where you can’t commission people to go for you, you must go yourself. It’s at this point you are branding a church. Branding: What is it about your ministry that is distinctively and uniquely different? No one can determine or do that for you, Jesus did that himself. He infected, inspired and trained twelve men.
There are no bad people, just misplaced people. Putting people in wrong places is an injustice to them and an injustice to you. Be watchful of criticizing people who are at another stage or on another course than you
God wouldn’t give me a chair if he didn’t have a person to sit in it. No more empty seats.
Learning to lay the next course requires a paradigm shift in my leadership style in order to take it to the next level. Moses knew to make the shift when the people started bickering, murmuring and complaining. Moses walked with them and then he walked in front of them.
2. Moses moves in front of the people instead of walking with them.
The stage of separation. I’m no longer involved with the murmuring and complaining that are going on in the congregation. You don’t allow the bickering to become the focus of your ministry. Instead keep on doing what God told you to do.
You must wean the congregation from being totally dependent upon you for everything. It cannot be where they have to have you for everything. Weaning them from their dependency on you makes them eligible to have a personal experience with God so that they can reproduce. This place of weaning is as hard on the leader as the people. Most leaders need to be needed and draw validation and affirmation from it. This co-dependency will cut off your growth until you wean yourself off your need to have your hands on everything.
Good leadership anticipates problems. Good leadership develops solutions for those problems. That’s how you got saved, God anticipated problems. What plan do you have for the problems you will face? Any problem that you don’t conquer, will conquer you.
3. Moses goes above the people to a place of elevation.
You cannot fight today’s problem with yesterday’s weapon. New levels bring new devils, but greater is He who that is in you than he who is in the world. There is a reason they call you the watchman on the wall. If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always be where you’ve always been. Delegate the responsibility to someone else. If you are still doing what you used to do, you are stunting your own growth. The more Moses raises his hands, the more the enemy is defeated in the valley…and Moses isn’t fighting in the valley, Joshua is. Find the Joshua’s in the church. To him who much is given, much is required. You are a limited resource. You need some Joshua’s who can run things in your absence.
You need to have some support ministries who go up on the hill with you and lift your hands up. Definition of weariness: to have your sense of pleasure exhausted. Moses hands got tired, but Aaron and Hur were called to stand up under him. Moses had his hands up, Joshua had his hands on, Aaron and Hur had their hands under. Jesus had Peter, James and John. When Moses lowered his hands, Joshua was starting to lose the battle.
You will understand what you are called to do by what you can’t stand. And until you take that complaining, frustrating and agonizing feeling and turn it to something productive, your church will not be what it ought to be.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh
I've taken five bags of trash out of my office and it still doesn't look good...better...but not good. What are you supposed to do with all the "stuff" anyway? Oh well, I tried. In honor of my attempt I went out and bought three pair of Nikes to replace the ones that reek from getting wet and nasty one too many times at the two weeks of camp and a mission trip this summer. Youth ministry jobs should come with a summer shoe allowance.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
...And suddenly I felt very old
I looked at what it would take to get my Masters degree at Bethel on Thursday. I think I could handle the course work, but felt really old amongst the 20 somethings walking around campus. It kind of felt like going into a middle school lunch room for the first time as an adult.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Back to Reality
It's been a GREAT summer...a long summer, but a GREAT summer. I officially closed the door on summer after our mission trip picture party on Monday night and then proceeded to take Wednesday through Saturday off. I didn't do a whole lot of anything except rest, which was good and hard at the same time. I think I slept more in those four days than I did the entire summer.
While I closed the door on summer, there are a memories I won't soon forget. Gulfport ones are below in no particular order.
Shopping for clothes with Andrew, Becky and Garrett for Rickey, the homeless man, we met in Gulfport. In particular, the finger nail clippers and the sleeping bag decisions.
Watching Dalton be out of his comfort zone, but choosing to continually pushing through it to help people in need.
Talking with Kelsey outside the church one night in Gulfport.
Becky talking about how people shouldn't have so much fun painting as she, Peyton, Craig and Kelsey had that day.
Jerrod as he bounced through the food line to help the next person carry their stuff.
Hilary leading the trim painting team out underneath the tent.
Evan doing one of the many things he does best...helping out wherever he is needed most. Up until the last day when his eyes looked a little glazed over from fatigue, you would have no clue that he spent the previous week working in blazing hot Mexico.
Meeting Pastor Harper and his wife.
The upstairs of the church after we painted the dark paneling and laid new carpet. It looked sweet.
The two quiet times we spent at the beach just talking with Jesus.
Looking for an adapter all night long to get the trailer lights to work that was connected to the 15 passenger van.
Austin Brooks when he got to cook.
Austin Patterson when he helped load the trailer.
Watching Chris do the trip with two of her sons.
Grocery shopping with students each day. Pushing four carts through the store at Wal-Mart with them. Trying to find taco shells (especially given that I hate tacos).
Trista making sno-cones (or as they call it Gulfport...sno-balls).
Kaela handing out hotdogs with a huge grin on her face.
Gabby asking if she could clean the bathrooms.
Jeremy showing one of the students how to use a power tool.
Andrew and Dave singing in the sanctuary.
Walking along the beach one morning with a handful of students. It wasn't even 7 a.m. yet and it was already blazing hot by the Gulf. Seeing strung out VHS tapes and other family memorabilia near the edge of the water. Seeing chicken bone after chicken bone on the beach as well (evidently railroad cars of chickens were at the docks when the storm hit).
The snapshots we have of...
Craig at the church.
Neil and Grant.
Austin at the airport.
Jeremy and the guys exhausted on their air mattresses,
While I closed the door on summer, there are a memories I won't soon forget. Gulfport ones are below in no particular order.
Shopping for clothes with Andrew, Becky and Garrett for Rickey, the homeless man, we met in Gulfport. In particular, the finger nail clippers and the sleeping bag decisions.
Watching Dalton be out of his comfort zone, but choosing to continually pushing through it to help people in need.
Talking with Kelsey outside the church one night in Gulfport.
Becky talking about how people shouldn't have so much fun painting as she, Peyton, Craig and Kelsey had that day.
Jerrod as he bounced through the food line to help the next person carry their stuff.
Hilary leading the trim painting team out underneath the tent.
Evan doing one of the many things he does best...helping out wherever he is needed most. Up until the last day when his eyes looked a little glazed over from fatigue, you would have no clue that he spent the previous week working in blazing hot Mexico.
Meeting Pastor Harper and his wife.
The upstairs of the church after we painted the dark paneling and laid new carpet. It looked sweet.
The two quiet times we spent at the beach just talking with Jesus.
Looking for an adapter all night long to get the trailer lights to work that was connected to the 15 passenger van.
Austin Brooks when he got to cook.
Austin Patterson when he helped load the trailer.
Watching Chris do the trip with two of her sons.
Grocery shopping with students each day. Pushing four carts through the store at Wal-Mart with them. Trying to find taco shells (especially given that I hate tacos).
Trista making sno-cones (or as they call it Gulfport...sno-balls).
Kaela handing out hotdogs with a huge grin on her face.
Gabby asking if she could clean the bathrooms.
Jeremy showing one of the students how to use a power tool.
Andrew and Dave singing in the sanctuary.
Walking along the beach one morning with a handful of students. It wasn't even 7 a.m. yet and it was already blazing hot by the Gulf. Seeing strung out VHS tapes and other family memorabilia near the edge of the water. Seeing chicken bone after chicken bone on the beach as well (evidently railroad cars of chickens were at the docks when the storm hit).
The snapshots we have of...
Craig at the church.
Neil and Grant.
Austin at the airport.
Jeremy and the guys exhausted on their air mattresses,
Friday, August 18, 2006
Just Chillin'
The last three days have been nice...real nice. Spent Tuesday up at the lake with Chantellle. Today at Manowe with Roxanne. It feels good to stop and just breathe deep.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Leadership Summit
Once again the leadership summit was amazing. My favorite session, probably because I once was a business geek, was the harvard professor and Jim Collins. That was until Wayne Corderio took the stage. Here are my notes, typos and all.
Illustration:
Wayne: Praying and praying for no rain for his outdoor service. It rains and he talks to God about his frustration that he didn’t hold it back.
God: “Wayne, you want the absence of rain, more than you want the presence of God.”
Judy: Ouch…been there, done that.
We don’t forget that we are pastors, but sometimes forget that we are human. Don’t fry your circuits. The road to success and the road to a nervous breakdown are sometimes the very same road.
Sometimes the only way radical change happens is through radical pain. Sometimes when you are on the gurney going in, your heart is open and you’re willing to learn life long lessons. Don’t forget the lessons you learned when your belly was scraping the ground.
Illustration: Plane dropping from 32,000 feet and you’re trying to pull up. You’re paying real close attention.
Parameters, navigation beacons, price tags and set points need to change.
Illustration: Dismantled motorcycle engine. When he put it back together, looked the same but insides were totally different. I see what I have ahead for you and I need you to have more horse power.
1. You have to know what drains and fills your tank. Write it down. If drain becomes greater than input, alarms will go off – anxiety attack, then emotional breakdown, then nervous breakdown. It’s suicide when you have an increased drain and shut off your input.
What fills my tank – what am doing, who am I doing it with and where am I doing these things that when I do them I fill the most alive and I fill the fullest - might save your ministry and marriage.
2. Understand balance in life.
You can take the Holy Spirit out of half of the churches in the US and they will keep on going. Your family is your ministry. If an elder goes south, we keep going. If my spouse goes south, we DON’T keep going.
Principle of the folcrum. Move your heart toward where God is putting His finger on your life.
3. Learn to lead out of rest. Don’t violate the Sabbath rest, you’ll fry your circuits. We don’t mess up because we are evil, but because we are frail. Schedule my rest points. Birth activities out of rest. Genesis: evening then morning. Your day does not begin when you get up, but when you go to sleep. Learn to sleep in on the front side of the clock, not on the back side of the clock (11 a.m. to 3 a.m. – REM). Cooperate with the design of God. Otherwise, soul is gone, dead leader running.
4. Find a lighting rod. You need someone to talk to. You can vomit on and they ground it.
5. Discipline your daily devotions. Self-feeding program. Lifejournal.cc - journal starter kit. Deuteronomy 17 – God required of the King to write and read the law daily.
SOAP
Scripture (write the one that the Holy Spirit highlights (maybe a promise – Jeremiah 17)
(don’t make permanent decisions on temporary setbacks).
Observation
Application
Prayer. Only one book God has promised to inspire. You don’t have the wisdom necessary when you begin – might have zeal, call, but don’t have the wisdom. His promises and instruction will save you a lifetime. Daily devotions will heal you from the inside and fill your tank, so that you can minister to others.
When the Olympics were in Atlanta they started a 119 day run with the torch. Run without the fire – comes in with extinguished wick – I don’t know but I made good time – the goal was not to get their in breakneck speed, but to protect the flame. Some running with an extinguished wick, but you are running fast. How do we reunite the torch, you have to reignite the flame. Come to me those who are weary.
Illustration:
Wayne: Praying and praying for no rain for his outdoor service. It rains and he talks to God about his frustration that he didn’t hold it back.
God: “Wayne, you want the absence of rain, more than you want the presence of God.”
Judy: Ouch…been there, done that.
We don’t forget that we are pastors, but sometimes forget that we are human. Don’t fry your circuits. The road to success and the road to a nervous breakdown are sometimes the very same road.
Sometimes the only way radical change happens is through radical pain. Sometimes when you are on the gurney going in, your heart is open and you’re willing to learn life long lessons. Don’t forget the lessons you learned when your belly was scraping the ground.
Illustration: Plane dropping from 32,000 feet and you’re trying to pull up. You’re paying real close attention.
Parameters, navigation beacons, price tags and set points need to change.
Illustration: Dismantled motorcycle engine. When he put it back together, looked the same but insides were totally different. I see what I have ahead for you and I need you to have more horse power.
1. You have to know what drains and fills your tank. Write it down. If drain becomes greater than input, alarms will go off – anxiety attack, then emotional breakdown, then nervous breakdown. It’s suicide when you have an increased drain and shut off your input.
What fills my tank – what am doing, who am I doing it with and where am I doing these things that when I do them I fill the most alive and I fill the fullest - might save your ministry and marriage.
2. Understand balance in life.
You can take the Holy Spirit out of half of the churches in the US and they will keep on going. Your family is your ministry. If an elder goes south, we keep going. If my spouse goes south, we DON’T keep going.
Principle of the folcrum. Move your heart toward where God is putting His finger on your life.
3. Learn to lead out of rest. Don’t violate the Sabbath rest, you’ll fry your circuits. We don’t mess up because we are evil, but because we are frail. Schedule my rest points. Birth activities out of rest. Genesis: evening then morning. Your day does not begin when you get up, but when you go to sleep. Learn to sleep in on the front side of the clock, not on the back side of the clock (11 a.m. to 3 a.m. – REM). Cooperate with the design of God. Otherwise, soul is gone, dead leader running.
4. Find a lighting rod. You need someone to talk to. You can vomit on and they ground it.
5. Discipline your daily devotions. Self-feeding program. Lifejournal.cc - journal starter kit. Deuteronomy 17 – God required of the King to write and read the law daily.
SOAP
Scripture (write the one that the Holy Spirit highlights (maybe a promise – Jeremiah 17)
(don’t make permanent decisions on temporary setbacks).
Observation
Application
Prayer. Only one book God has promised to inspire. You don’t have the wisdom necessary when you begin – might have zeal, call, but don’t have the wisdom. His promises and instruction will save you a lifetime. Daily devotions will heal you from the inside and fill your tank, so that you can minister to others.
When the Olympics were in Atlanta they started a 119 day run with the torch. Run without the fire – comes in with extinguished wick – I don’t know but I made good time – the goal was not to get their in breakneck speed, but to protect the flame. Some running with an extinguished wick, but you are running fast. How do we reunite the torch, you have to reignite the flame. Come to me those who are weary.
Friday, August 04, 2006
DAY 4 - GULFPORT
AMAZING! Today was absolutely amazing! The entire team hit a new level today and pushed hard through the end of the last work day.
Here's a little recap on what we've accomplished:
-Painted 6 of the 7 rooms on the second floor at the church here.
-Carpeted 6 of those 7 rooms, tiled one, carpeted the entire hallway and tiled the top landing before the hallway.
-Applied transitions in all the doorways to prevent the seams of the carpet from threading.
-Cleaned this building top to bottom, inside and out.
-Installed baseboard trim through all 7 of the rooms and the hallway. Trim that was all painted by our crew too.
-Cleared the entire basement of another church.
-Primed and painted that entire basement.
-Baked hundreds of cupcakes for VBS.
-Served over 200 hot dogs, around 30 lbs. of sloppy joes and countless chips, cookies and pop.
-Distributed over 4,000 pounds of food, canned goods and personal care items.
-Planned and led two VBS programs for kids that included worship, skits, crafts, games, memory verses and testimonies.
This has been an incredible trip and the kids finished well today! Pastor Tim here lined things up for us to actually get a chance to go swimming at a local Holiday Inn which was a great afternoon treat. Then later this evening we all enjoyed some Dairy Queen and a moonlit stop at the beach together.
Your kids have represented the church well, they've represented your families well and ultimately they've represented Jesus well! You should be proud of them! The pastors of the churches we've been working with could not stop saying great things about this team.
Tomorrow we will pack things up and do one last clean up of the church before hitting Gulfport's waterpark on the way out of town. We will spend the evening in Birmingham and then catch our flight home on Saturday.
Thank you for your prayers! Thank you for your encouragement and comments! We really could not have done this without your help! Your prayers, your finances, your words are what have helped this team become what it is and we count it a blessing that you've been a part of this team alongside us!
This will likely be the last post until we get home, so be praying for our travel and we'll see you all soon!
Here's a little recap on what we've accomplished:
-Painted 6 of the 7 rooms on the second floor at the church here.
-Carpeted 6 of those 7 rooms, tiled one, carpeted the entire hallway and tiled the top landing before the hallway.
-Applied transitions in all the doorways to prevent the seams of the carpet from threading.
-Cleaned this building top to bottom, inside and out.
-Installed baseboard trim through all 7 of the rooms and the hallway. Trim that was all painted by our crew too.
-Cleared the entire basement of another church.
-Primed and painted that entire basement.
-Baked hundreds of cupcakes for VBS.
-Served over 200 hot dogs, around 30 lbs. of sloppy joes and countless chips, cookies and pop.
-Distributed over 4,000 pounds of food, canned goods and personal care items.
-Planned and led two VBS programs for kids that included worship, skits, crafts, games, memory verses and testimonies.
This has been an incredible trip and the kids finished well today! Pastor Tim here lined things up for us to actually get a chance to go swimming at a local Holiday Inn which was a great afternoon treat. Then later this evening we all enjoyed some Dairy Queen and a moonlit stop at the beach together.
Your kids have represented the church well, they've represented your families well and ultimately they've represented Jesus well! You should be proud of them! The pastors of the churches we've been working with could not stop saying great things about this team.
Tomorrow we will pack things up and do one last clean up of the church before hitting Gulfport's waterpark on the way out of town. We will spend the evening in Birmingham and then catch our flight home on Saturday.
Thank you for your prayers! Thank you for your encouragement and comments! We really could not have done this without your help! Your prayers, your finances, your words are what have helped this team become what it is and we count it a blessing that you've been a part of this team alongside us!
This will likely be the last post until we get home, so be praying for our travel and we'll see you all soon!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
DAY 3 - GULFPORT
It's hard to believe it, but it is already day 3 down here in Gulfport! The team worked, worked, worked, worked...worked today! We finished up all but some final touches on the carpeting and painting here at the church. Throughout the day we had teams getting things ready for tonight's VBS/Block Party at a partner church. We had teams cooking cupcakes and then later cooking hot dogs, making sno-cones and serving up meals.
Another team was working at the partner church all day painting some of their classrooms from which they cleared all the junk yesterday. The pastor told some of the leaders how special this was to them. The church's congregation is largely elderly and they are not capable of moving all the stuff we moved yesterday and doing all the paint work. That team got quite a bit accomplished physically, but more than that they were able to breath life into an exhausted pastor, give him hope for the future and show him that people still care.
During the afternoon, teams handed out flyers through 3 different FEMA trailer parks inviting kids to the VBS and inviting families to come for a free meal and food to take home. We handed out food to 89+ families! We served around 250 hot dogs along with pounds of shaved ice in sno-cones! The VBS schedule didn't quite go as planned, but the children had fun and the adults were given some hope and a meal. We shared stories tonight for about a half an hour on the conversations and time we spent with the people as we helped them make their way down the line gathering their food for them. YOUR kids did amazing! All in all it was a 12 hour workday! I think they're going to sleep well tonight!
Keep sending your comments and your prayers. Pray specifically that we would be able to finish our work projects strong tomorrow as it is our last full work day to finish up our big projects! We love you guys and appreciate your prayers and encouragements!
Gulfport out.
-Johnny
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
DAY 2 - GULFPORT
Day two down here in Gulfport and a bunch more projects got marked off the list here at the church! The students all responded really well to hearing what Pastor Tim had to say about what all has been happening through this tiny church and I believe that inspired everyone to work hard and press in to get as much done as we could!
The painting crews got 99% of the painting finished, which has been a hefty project. We are painting over wood paneling which requires 2 full coats of primer/sealer and 2 if not 3 full coats of paint. The crews finished up 2 more rooms, all the doors that were left and nearly finished a 3rd room that just needs some touchups after we get more paint.
The carpeting crew continued to crank things out finishing another two full rooms that the guys are now happy to be sleeping in instead of the unfinished floor model that my guys are sleeping in for one more night!
An outside crew went to town clearing trash, empty boxes and other miscellaneous items from under the food tent. This was a huge help to the church as they are getting ready to reopen their food bank August 10. That same crew also helped pick up trash on the property and helped do some weeding in the front of the church.
An entirely seperate group headed off to a partnering church where we will be having VBS tomorrow afternoon. They were able to help prep things for not only VBS, but for the church to finally be able to have Sunday school again. The team cleared out piles and piles and rooms and rooms of old stuff that was destroyed by the hurricane. They then got to cleaning and got the rooms all ready for things to come.
Judy kept busy making runs to Wal-Mart and Lowe's to keep our very fast moving work crews equipped for their next jobs and I made a quick jaunt to Alabama with Sean, one of the key volunteers here at the church. We hopped in the large box truck and Sean let me drive to Theodore, Alabama which was about an hour away. We met Pastor Tim and his wife at the Bay Area Food Bank where we picked up around 3600 pounds of food and personal care items that we will be able to unload, pack and distribute over the next two days.
While I was gone, a pretty cool thing happened. See all week long there have been people that would stop by the church asking if there was any food and unfortunately we had to tell them the distribution center wouldn't be open till the 10th, but as we could we handed out a few sandwiches and bottled waters. One story turned out a little different.
Ricky, stopped by in the afternoon and began talking to some of the leaders. Ricky is a Vietnam veteran who had lost much of what he had and had just gotten out of the hospital today after having a heart attack. When he came to the church, many of the kids and leaders got involved. Some were hearing his story (alongside plenty of adult supervision) while others jumped in the van with Judy for yet another run to Wal-Mart to get some items for Ricky. While in Wal-Mart, Garrett H. suggested they get him a sleeping bag, so they did. Becky suggested that he might need some finger nail clippers, so they got them. They got him a rolling suitcase so that he would be able to take his things with him, without having to carry them all. As they got back and walked up to Ricky to give him the items, one of the leaders said aloud, "Look Ricky! It's a sleeping bag like you just told me you wished you had!" And as Judy went to shake his hand, she noticed that he had overgrown and undercleaned fingernails which would likely get good use from those finger nail clippers.
The kids are being the hands and feet of Jesus down here in Gulfport. They aren't talking about how someone should make a difference, they aren't complaining that nobody is doing something down here and they're not complaining that they are the ones to be doing this. These kids, YOUR kids, get it. They know what it means to show people Jesus and they are doing that everyday through their actions and words! You should be proud! Proud of their work, proud of their encouragement and proud of their attitudes! I count it a blessing that I am able to be down here with your kids, serving the people of Gulfport!
Tomorrow holds wrapping up a few more work projects at the church along with some food distribution work and preparation for VBS in the afternoon! It will be a great day!
Continue to post your comments! That has become a very enjoyable and looked forward to time of the day when we take ten minutes to read aloud your encouragements, prayers and even your "I love you"s !
-Johnny-
The painting crews got 99% of the painting finished, which has been a hefty project. We are painting over wood paneling which requires 2 full coats of primer/sealer and 2 if not 3 full coats of paint. The crews finished up 2 more rooms, all the doors that were left and nearly finished a 3rd room that just needs some touchups after we get more paint.
The carpeting crew continued to crank things out finishing another two full rooms that the guys are now happy to be sleeping in instead of the unfinished floor model that my guys are sleeping in for one more night!
An outside crew went to town clearing trash, empty boxes and other miscellaneous items from under the food tent. This was a huge help to the church as they are getting ready to reopen their food bank August 10. That same crew also helped pick up trash on the property and helped do some weeding in the front of the church.
An entirely seperate group headed off to a partnering church where we will be having VBS tomorrow afternoon. They were able to help prep things for not only VBS, but for the church to finally be able to have Sunday school again. The team cleared out piles and piles and rooms and rooms of old stuff that was destroyed by the hurricane. They then got to cleaning and got the rooms all ready for things to come.
Judy kept busy making runs to Wal-Mart and Lowe's to keep our very fast moving work crews equipped for their next jobs and I made a quick jaunt to Alabama with Sean, one of the key volunteers here at the church. We hopped in the large box truck and Sean let me drive to Theodore, Alabama which was about an hour away. We met Pastor Tim and his wife at the Bay Area Food Bank where we picked up around 3600 pounds of food and personal care items that we will be able to unload, pack and distribute over the next two days.
While I was gone, a pretty cool thing happened. See all week long there have been people that would stop by the church asking if there was any food and unfortunately we had to tell them the distribution center wouldn't be open till the 10th, but as we could we handed out a few sandwiches and bottled waters. One story turned out a little different.
Ricky, stopped by in the afternoon and began talking to some of the leaders. Ricky is a Vietnam veteran who had lost much of what he had and had just gotten out of the hospital today after having a heart attack. When he came to the church, many of the kids and leaders got involved. Some were hearing his story (alongside plenty of adult supervision) while others jumped in the van with Judy for yet another run to Wal-Mart to get some items for Ricky. While in Wal-Mart, Garrett H. suggested they get him a sleeping bag, so they did. Becky suggested that he might need some finger nail clippers, so they got them. They got him a rolling suitcase so that he would be able to take his things with him, without having to carry them all. As they got back and walked up to Ricky to give him the items, one of the leaders said aloud, "Look Ricky! It's a sleeping bag like you just told me you wished you had!" And as Judy went to shake his hand, she noticed that he had overgrown and undercleaned fingernails which would likely get good use from those finger nail clippers.
The kids are being the hands and feet of Jesus down here in Gulfport. They aren't talking about how someone should make a difference, they aren't complaining that nobody is doing something down here and they're not complaining that they are the ones to be doing this. These kids, YOUR kids, get it. They know what it means to show people Jesus and they are doing that everyday through their actions and words! You should be proud! Proud of their work, proud of their encouragement and proud of their attitudes! I count it a blessing that I am able to be down here with your kids, serving the people of Gulfport!
Tomorrow holds wrapping up a few more work projects at the church along with some food distribution work and preparation for VBS in the afternoon! It will be a great day!
Continue to post your comments! That has become a very enjoyable and looked forward to time of the day when we take ten minutes to read aloud your encouragements, prayers and even your "I love you"s !
-Johnny-
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Gulfport Day 1 Continued-WalMart Theory
Ok, so I have this theory. You want to hear it? I believe if you take a student to Wal-Mart a couple of times on a mission trip, you will never have to deal with homesickness. After 9 years, I have yet to be proven wrong. Why is that? Well, glad you ask. Every Wal-Mart is pretty much the same when you walk in the door, the gummy worms are over here, the t-shirts over there and the energy drinks in the grocery section. It the same everywhere, in Indiana, in Tennessee and even in Mississippi. It's an instant connection and very calming, like comfort food when stressed.
However, the interesting thing about this team is that they already seem like they're at home. Going to Wal-Mart today was nice, but not a necessity. I think it might be due into part that we worked, played, ate and slept at the church today. We weren't frantically running to and fro. We had the chance to get comfortable right where we're at. I think that might become a theory...work the first day on site so they can adjust to the new environment with ease.
As John wrote about so wonderfully, we truly did have a great day. I got to spend time with students here and there. Hilary was helping to head up the crew of those painting the trim outside. They busted through big time! Craig, Olivia, Trista and Stephanie were out there when I buzzed through. We played a round of the "If you could...", before I had to head off to Lowe's for some more paint. Craig talked about wanting to become a youth pastor. I think he'd be an incredible one. Olivia talked about wanting to work with the younger kids downstairs. She'd be amazing at it. Trista and Stephanie are awesome as well. They were like machines when it came to painting the trim.
I'm still working on getting the three Austin's and two Garret(t)'s down. I know who they are, but for some reason I want to call the Austin's Garrett and the Garrett's Austin. Here's some info on them. Austin Brookes cracks me up, he's so fun. Austin Patterson I really didn't know much about before the trip, but can tell that he's an amazing guy. Austin Fox-Welter will always hold a special place in my heart. Garrett Hess cut his finger on the trowel today (don't worry mom, it was the equivalent to a bad paper cut). I offered to sew it up and let him pick the thread color, but he opted for a bandaid instead...smart boy. Garret LaCluyse picked out some pretty cool shades at Wal-Mart. He's a lot of fun too!
Thanks for allowing your students to join us! Thanks for the encuragment notes as well. They mean a lot. Day one has been incedible. I can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds. We'll I got to go. It's late and I sent you kids to bed awhile ago at 10:45 p.m.
However, the interesting thing about this team is that they already seem like they're at home. Going to Wal-Mart today was nice, but not a necessity. I think it might be due into part that we worked, played, ate and slept at the church today. We weren't frantically running to and fro. We had the chance to get comfortable right where we're at. I think that might become a theory...work the first day on site so they can adjust to the new environment with ease.
As John wrote about so wonderfully, we truly did have a great day. I got to spend time with students here and there. Hilary was helping to head up the crew of those painting the trim outside. They busted through big time! Craig, Olivia, Trista and Stephanie were out there when I buzzed through. We played a round of the "If you could...", before I had to head off to Lowe's for some more paint. Craig talked about wanting to become a youth pastor. I think he'd be an incredible one. Olivia talked about wanting to work with the younger kids downstairs. She'd be amazing at it. Trista and Stephanie are awesome as well. They were like machines when it came to painting the trim.
I'm still working on getting the three Austin's and two Garret(t)'s down. I know who they are, but for some reason I want to call the Austin's Garrett and the Garrett's Austin. Here's some info on them. Austin Brookes cracks me up, he's so fun. Austin Patterson I really didn't know much about before the trip, but can tell that he's an amazing guy. Austin Fox-Welter will always hold a special place in my heart. Garrett Hess cut his finger on the trowel today (don't worry mom, it was the equivalent to a bad paper cut). I offered to sew it up and let him pick the thread color, but he opted for a bandaid instead...smart boy. Garret LaCluyse picked out some pretty cool shades at Wal-Mart. He's a lot of fun too!
Thanks for allowing your students to join us! Thanks for the encuragment notes as well. They mean a lot. Day one has been incedible. I can't wait to see what the rest of the week holds. We'll I got to go. It's late and I sent you kids to bed awhile ago at 10:45 p.m.
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